Regiments of the Malta Garrison 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment

The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment

Introduction

The Prince of Wales's North Staffordshire Regt. The Battle honours other than China and Punjab belong to the 1st/Bn. The regimental badges belong to the 2nd/Bn. These are: The Prince of Wales's Plume in memory of the visit to Malta in 1876 and the Dragon for the China Wars of 1842. The Stafford Knot was the badge of the De Stafford family which has been incorporated into the Arms of Staffordshire and Stafford. (Main Guard Valletta)

The 64th Regiment of Foot was derived from the 2nd/11th Regiment of Foot. The 2nd Battalion was raised in 1756 at the onset of the Seven Years War with France, but two years later became an independent regiment as the 64th Regiment of Foot.

In 1782 it was granted its county affiliation with Staffordshire.

In 1856 the 64th served in the Persian Gulf region in suppressing piracy. The honours Reshire, Bushire, Koosh-ab refer to their service in Persia.

On 1 July 1881, The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment merged with the 98th Regiment of Foot to form the 1st Battalion of The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire) Regiment. The 98th Foot becoming the 2nd Battalion.

In 1920, the title The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) was altered to The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's).

On 31 January 1959, The North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales's) Regiment merged with The South Staffordshire Regiment to form The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's).

The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot

The obelisk to the 64th originally stood on the Floriana Granaries where it was surrounded by a railing. It was subsequently relocated to Pieta' Military Cemetery. Graffiti on Notre Dame Gate Vittoriosa showing the Staffordshire Knot.

4 Feb 1867 The 64th embarked at Kingston from Templemore Ireland and disembarked in Malta on 20 February. It relieved the 84th Foot which was ordered to the West Indies.

In 1867, the regiment had an average strength of 533 men. There were 559 hospital admissions (1048.8 admissions per 1000 of mean strength) with 7 deaths in hospital and 3 out of hospital (18.76 deaths per 1000 of mean strength).

Continued fevers prevailed to a great extent from June to September. The 64th Regiment had 186 cases of continued fevers with 3 deaths.

Spasmodic cholera broke out in Malta between September and November 1867; the 14th Regiment bearing its brunt. One severe case of cholera occurred in the 64th Foot at Zabbar Gate Barracks. There were in total 22 deaths from cholera among the men in the garrison and 6 from choleraic diarrhoea, all the latter occurring in September. The distribution of the deaths were: 15 in Sept, 5 in Oct and 2 in Nov. Among the women, the average number of which was 551, there were six cases of cholera and 4 deaths. There were 9 deaths among the 880 children in the garrison.

1868 The 64th occupied Fort Ricasoli and Zabbar Gate Barracks. From June to September, the regiment had 103 admissions for continued fevers, with 2 deaths.

The average annual strength in 1868 was 717 men. There were 565 admissions into hospital (788/1000 mean strength) with 14 deaths in hospital, 3 out of hospital and 1 among the invalids (25.10/1000 mean strength).

23 Apr–22 Sep 1869 A detachment of the 64th Regiment was at Fort Manoel and Marsamxetto Barracks. It moved to Floriana Barracks on 22 September.

23 Sep–31 Dec 1869 Head Quarters Coy 64th Regiment was at Lower St Elmo Barracks,
Floriana Barracks and Notre Dame huts. A proportion of the troops at Lower St Elmo Barracks slept under canvas to reduce overcrowding. Surgeon Francis Odell described the quarters at Lower St Elmo as dark and gloomy, and totally unsuitable as accommodation for the troops.

Floriana Barracks were somewhat better, in that it was located outside the town, but the barracks consisted of a series of large casemates, 80 feet in length, with a door and two windows at one end, and a window at the other. The rooms were numbered 1 to 12, and held between 46 to 54 men per room.

Families were confined to the Horn Works of Floriana and Notre Dame Ravelin. Their quarters were uncomfortable, consisting of wooden huts which were hot in summer and cold and damp in winter.

Simple Continued Fever gave rise to 98 admissions and one death in 1869. The great majority of fever cases was the ordinary, self limiting Maltese Fever, the result of sand-fly fever.

64th Regiment – 1 January to 31 December 1869

Month

Strength 1st day of the month

Hospital Admissions

Total Deaths

January

670

30

1

February

664

26

0

March

664

35

2

April

658

20

1

May

657

34

1

June

655

26

2

July

626

30

0

August

625

31

0

September

622

9

1

October

621

24

1

November

602

18

0

December

603

12

0

Table II: Regimental strength on the first day of the month, showing number of admissions to hospital per month, and the number of deaths recorded. (TNA:WO 334/62)

The average annual strength in 1869 was 639 men. There were 295 admissions into hospital; 8 died in hospital; 1 died out of hospital; 1 death among the invalids. The ratio per 1000 strength of those admitted was 461.7 and for deaths 15.65.

The following deaths were recorded in 1869:

5 Jan 1869 Pte Sherlock P. aged 38 years from hepatitis.

5 Mar Pte Milliken W. aged 29 years from delirium tremens.

30 Mar Sgt McLoughlin J. aged 42 years from haematemesis.

15 Apr Pte Sadler R. aged 32 years from simple continued fever.

15 May Sgt-Maj Yorke G. aged 33 years from delirium tremens.

8 June Pte Haskett M. aged 41 years from an aneurysm of the aorta.

25 June Pte Harris H. aged 28 years died at St Michael's Guard from an aneurysm of the left bronchial artery.

Table III: Barracks occupied by the 64th showing the average strength, number of hospital admissions from fever, and the percentage of sick soldiers during the period each barrack was occupied.

Polverista Gate Barracks was situated in the outer line of the fortifications. It consisted of long casemated rooms with a door and window at one end, and one embrasure or smaller opening at the other. The rooms lay side by side, each opening on to a long continuous veranda. The barracks had no baths for the soldiers to cleanse themselves.

64th Regiment – 1 January to 31 December 1870

Month

Strength 1st day of the month

Hospital Admissions

Total Deaths

January

594

11

1

February

629

19

0

March

628

18

0

April

628

15

0

May

609

16

0

June

597

33

0

July

600

46

2

August

596

45

1

September

595

40

2

October

592

19

0

November

577

21

0

December

576

12

0

Table IV: Regimental strength on the first day of the month, showing number of admissions to hospital per month, and the number of deaths recorded. (TNA:WO 334/77)

The fortifications of the land front of Valletta and Floriana showing the Horn Work with its Crown Work defending the approaches to Floriana (TNA:MPH 1/889).Floriana Barracks sandwiched between the Civil Hospital and the Ospizio. (TNA:WO 78/2459)Plan of Floriana Barracks (TNA:MFQ 1/330).

The average strength of the regiment in 1870 was 602 men. There were 295 admissions into hospital (490/1000 mean strength), with six deaths in hospital and 1 among the invalids (11.63 deaths/1000 mean strength). Most of the sick fell ill during the hot summer months. Of the six deaths, five took place during July, August, and September, with only one death in January. The most common disease was Common Continued Fever, of which there were 83 cases in the hospital. Many were of an ephemeral nature, blamed by the surgeon to changes of temperature and irregularities of diet. Eleven cases of rheumatism were treated, one of which was invalided to England. Over twenty men were admitted into hospital as a result of excessive drinking; of these two had Delirium Tremens. The regimental hospital was opened in Lower Vittoriosa Hospital. This was two private dwellings which had been converted for the reception of the sick.

The average number constantly sick during the year was 24.27 per 1000 strength; the ratio of deaths to 1000 strength was 9.96 per annum. Twenty-three soldiers were invalided to England.

The following soldiers died in 1870:

19 Aug 1870 Surgeon Francis Odell, aged 39 years after a few hours illness from ulceration and perforation of the duodenum.

30 Jan Sgt McKenzie J. aged 43 years from pneumonia.

18 July Pte Thomas R. aged 41 years from an abscess of the liver.

19 July LCpl Brown G. aged 30 years from an abscess of the liver.

7 Aug Pte Hempson J. aged 27 years from Common Continued Fever.

15 Sep Pte Richards H. aged 23 years from jaundice.

22 SepPte Doyle J. aged 31 years, died at Citta Vecchia Sanatorium from hypertrophy of the heart.

The 1st/North Staffordshire Regiment had an average strength of 972 men. It had 542 admissions (557.6/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 8 deaths (8.23/1000 mean strength). 10 invalids returned to England.

Its average constantly sick was 39.91 (41.06/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 14.98 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 26.87 days.

The 1st/North Staffordshire Regiment was quartered at Verdala Barracks for 12 months.

The following were buried in Rinella Military Cemetery in 1894:

29 May Sgt William Meeson died at Cottonera.

20 June Pte John Harley aged 21 years, died at Cottonera.

27 June Pte Ernest Smith aged 23 years, died at Cottonera.

3 July Pte Albert Brayford aged 22 years, died at Cottonera.

8 OctErnest O'Connell aged 10 hours, son of Sergeant died at Cottonera.

The 1st/North Staffordshire Regiment had an average strength of 876 men. It had 408 admissions (465.7/1000 mean strength) into hospital with 4 deaths (4.57/1000 mean strength). 7 invalids returned to England.

Its average constantly sick was 28.48 (32.51/1000 mean strength). The average sick time to each soldier was 11.87 days. The average duration of cases of sickness was 25.48 days.

5 Oct 1895 The 1st/North Staffordshire Regiment was quartered at Verdala Barracks for 1 month and Lower St Elmo Barracks for 3 months. It embarked for Egypt where it arrived on 11 October.